In the past, various different devices and methods have been proposed for treating liquid with electromagnetic flux for the purpose of reducing the scaling propensity of the liquid, for reducing the number of living microorganisms contained in the liquid or for other purposes. Some of these devices have used either stationary or movable permanent magnets for producing a magnetic flux, and others have used electrical coils arranged in various different ways with respect to pipes conducting the liquid, with the coils being energized by either a direct current power source or an alternating current power source to create an electromagnetic flux used as the liquid treatment factor. In the case of devices using electromagnetic flux, it is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,600 to provide an apparatus including a plurality of electrical coils surrounding different separate longitudinal sections of a liquid conducting pipe, with two of the coils being wound on top of one another, a diode being so connected in circuit with the coils and with the power source that current from the power source is conducted through the coils only during alternate half cycles of one voltage polarity, with some current of a ringing nature apparently flowing through each coil following the end of each half cycle of diode conduction. However, the ringing current, and the electromagnetic flux produced appears to be weak and of very short duration so as to be of small effectiveness.
The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an apparatus for treating flowing liquid with electromagnetic flux whereby the flux generated and passed through the flowing liquid includes successive periods of ringing flux with the flux oscillations during the ringing periods being of greater amplitude, with the periods themselves being of longer duration, and with the periods possibly occurring more frequently than in prior apparatuses so as to have a greater effect on the treated liquid than has heretofore been the case.